Hawks' Funk gets taste of life in NHL

'"We drafted him because he is a smart hockey player," said Jim Benning, Buffalo's director of amateur scouting. Benning played for the Winter Hawks from 1979-81 and spent nine years as an NHL defenseman for Toronto and Vancouver. "Hockey sense is something that can't be taught," Benning said. "You can get stronger or develop a harder shot, but there's nothing you can do to make yourself a smarter player. And Mike has that."'